Display-case.



' I i 1 f/j7\ A. W. EOLSOM.

' DISPLAY CASE.

APPLIOATION'I'ILED MAY 9, 1910.

981,851. Patented Jan. 17,1911.

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DISPLAY-CASE.

Application filed May 9, 1910.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, ANDREW WV. FoLsoM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sherman, in the county of Grayson and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Display-Case, of which the following is a specifigation.

It is the object of this lnvention to provlde a display case, in which fruits, vegetables, meats and the like may be housed, against contamination.

11110fl161' object of the invention is to provide a device of the sort above mentioned, provided with corner posts of novel and improved construction, and to provide novel means for uniting the corner posts, to define a frame, into which removable transparent plates may be inserted.

Another object of the invention is to provide a case, the frame of which carries guides, fashioned in a novel manner, and adapted to receive certain movable elements of the structure.

The drawings show typical embodiments merely, and it is to be understood thatchanges properly falling Within the Scope of what is claimed, may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows the invention in vertical transverse section; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section upon. the line AB of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a transverse section of one of the corner members; and Fig. 4 is a plan of the blank from which the corner members are formed.

In carrying out the invention, there is provided a tray 1. Located within the tray 1 is a case 3, open at both ends, the upper end of the case 3 being closed by means of a lid 4, provided with a handle 5 for its manipulation. A drain cock 6 serves as a means for removing from the tray 1, any moisture which may accumulate in the tray. A false bottom 2, made of wire netting or perforated metal may be placed inside the case 3, and serves to uphold the contents of the case, above the accumulations in the tray 1. The false bottom may be removed through the top of the case.

The corner members of the structure are fashioned from flat metallic plates, the outlines of which are seen most clearly in Fig. 4. These plates are provided adjacent their ends, with outstanding upper arms 7, and with outstanding lower arms 8. Intermediate the upper and lower arms, tongues 9 Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 17, 1911. Serial No. 560,157.

outstand from the edges of the plates, the tongues being formed integrally with the plates, transverse slits of equal length in the opposite edges of the plates serving to form thotongues 9 and the arms 7 and S.

lVhen a plate constructed as hereinbefore described, is to be manipulated to form a corner member of a structure such as that delineated in the drawings, the plate is, in the first instance, bent rectangularly as denoted by the numeral 11, along the longitudinal center CD of the plate, so that the arms 7 stand at right angles to each other, the arms 8 being similarly disposed with respect to each other. The tongues 9 are then bent sharply upon themselves as denoted by the numeral 12, and carried backwardly as at 14, toward the line of bending denoted by the numeral 11. Thence, the tongues 9 are bent rectangularly, as at 15, and brought into cont-act as at 16, the free ends 17 0f the arms 9 being disposed at right angles to each other. Along the line of contact between the arms as thus bent, the arms are secured together in any desired manner, as, for instance, by means of solder 18. When the corner members are thus formed it will be seen that the parts 14, and 17 constitute upright guides, which, in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, are denoted generally by thenumeral 19. Each of the upper arms 7 of a given corner member are united with corresponding arms of another corner member by means of braces 20. These braces 20 are preferably flat strips of metal, the upper and lower edges of which are bent toward each other to inclose the free ends of the arms 7 of two corner members. Each arm 8 of a given corner member is connected with a corresponding arm of an adjacent corner member by means of braces 21. These braces 21 like the braces 20, are preferably flat strips of metal, the lower edges of which are bent to inclose the ends of the lower arms 8 of two corner members. The upper edges of the braces 21 are carried over the upper edges of the arms 8, the free upper edges of the braces 21 being carried upwardly, as at 22, to form guides, extended transversely of the case, and hereinafter referred to as the transverse guides. Plates 23, preferably fashioned from glass, are slid vertically into the upright guides 19, the transverse guides 22 receiving the lower ends of the plates 23, and serving to hold the plates in place.

The lid 4 is bent sharply upon itself as at its periphery, as seen at 24, and thence bent rectangularly, to form a flange 25, adapted to fit within the upper portion of the case 3.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a case, the frame of which may be constructed at tritling cost, and without the use of expensive machinery.

By referring to Fig. 3 it will be seen that the distance from the bend 12 to the angle defined at 11. is the same along both sides of the corner posts, and at both the top and the bottom of the corner posts. This fact results from the further fact that the slits 10 are all of equal length. The braces 20 and 21, embracing the arms 7 and 8, abut against the guides at the bends 12. Since the distances from the angle defined at 11 to the bends 12 is made constant, owing to the slits 10 being of equal length, when the braces 20 and 21 abut against the guides, adjacent the bends 12, a symmetrical structure will result; that is, the cross section of the case will be the same at all points between the top and the bottom of the case.

The device is capable of many uses, which will readily suggest themselves to the shop keeper. Merchandise of any sort may be stored therein, and, if desired, alternate layl l l ers of merchandise and ice may be placed within the case, the outlet cock 6 serving as a means whereby any moisture collecting within the tray 1 may be readily withdrawn.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new is y A case having its corner members each fashioned from a single plate of material having inwardly extended slits of equal length in its opposite edges defining transverse upper and lower arms and outstanding tongues between the upper and lower arms, the plate being bent along its longitudinal center to dispose the arms at each end of the plate at angles to each other, the tongues being bent to form guides, located within the angles formed by the arms; and braces connecting each arm of one corner member with the corresponding arm of another corner member, the braces abutting terminally against the guides of said members.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiiXed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ANDREIV W. FOLSOM.

\Vitnesses O. L. BROWN, R. M. HUTT. 

